Random Musings and Observations Part 4: Music Soothes the Soul
So after my semi-political detour in the last entry, I thought I might as well get back to one of those Livejournal ideas I’ve been meaning to write about for a few weeks now.
During the four days it took me to drive across the country, I listened to a LOT of music. Now, I typically put my iPod on shuffle and skip whatever I’m not in the mood for, which often means skipping the showtunes. I love them, but they can be rather obnoxious. But the need for variety found me actually listening to cast albums from beginning to end (something I haven’t done in ages), and in the process rediscovered just how much I love certain shows.
Foremost among them is “Rent.” When I first got my double CD set in high school, I listened to it incessantly, but as time went on I started listening to it less and less (hearing the score butchered by numerous people and the unfortunate movie version probably didn’t help). But I listened to the entire show on the way home, and at the end I cried. Well, okay, like two tears rolled down my cheeks, but as that *never* happens, it’s the equivalent of crying for me, and speaks to the power contained in that little rock opera.
The show, quite simply, is beautiful. Yeah, it has some structural problems, particularly in the second act. Yeah, too many people shout the songs rather than singing them. Yeah, I will forever enjoy mocking Adam Pascal’s voice (although I think he has/had a perfect vocal quality for Roger). But the material just speaks to me, maybe even more now than it did in high school. All of the thematic stuff about “no day but today” and finding the beauty in life and how your friends are a second family really touches me. I love the characters and I love the journey they go on. I love the music Jonathan Larson wrote for them to sing. And the image of Angel running back onstage to join the final tableau still melts my heart four years after I first saw it.
I’m sad the Broadway production closed, because I really think it’s the end of an era. But at the same time, I’m excited for the show’s future. That particular staging of “Rent” was getting stale. But now there will be new productions all over the country, and new people will get to experience this gem of a show. New groups of artists will get to work on it and make it their own, and that’s going to breathe new life into the show. Even the subpar high school productions sung by people who have no business belting that high will have some value, because you know those kids are going to absolutely love the show and be singing their hearts out (even if their hearts sing flat). The show probably has and will continue to inspire young people to get into theatre, or at least support it. Plus, I would love the opportunity to play Collins, or even Mark if I get an open-minded director. Of all the characters in the show, I identify with Mark the most, and I think getting to play him would be therapeutic (just like writing him must have been therapeutic for Larson, because Mark is clearly the author stand-in character).
Another show I rediscovered is “Avenue Q.” You’ve probably heard me talk about how much I loved it when I saw it on Broadway, and listening to the original cast recording just brought all those wonderful memories back (I was fortunate enough to see the original cast right before they won the Tony). And “Wicked” fans can bitch and moan all they want, but I love the “Avenue Q” score. I think it’s clever, wonderfully astute in its social observations, and in general so much more than the Sesame Street parody it appears to be.
I have also come to the conclusion that I MUST play Princeton/Rod. At the risk of sounding arrogant, I think I am pretty much perfect for Rod. And I would make a damn good Princeton. The role is in my range, too, provided I can master this contemporary sound that’s all them kids love these days. Now if only I could operate a puppet.
Another role I rediscovered and think would be an excellent fit for me is Leo Bloom in “The Producers.” I was born to do that kind of over the top musical comedy, and I think that show is just a wealth of good material for comic actors to work with. Hell, I would love to play any of the named male roles. I think it would be particularly fun to be Roger de Bris, gallivanting about in that Crystal building gown and then dressing up like Hitler for the second act. But I’d most likely be cast as Bloom, and since it’s a good role and a good fit for me I’m certainly not complaining.
So I guess I’ll have to add those two roles to my list of dream roles, which right now includes:
-Coalhouse in “Ragtime”
-Fredrik Egerman in “A Little Night Music”
-Sweeney in “Sweeney Todd” (If I can find a director open to non-traditional casting when I’m older, I think I’d be great in that show)
-Princeton/Rod in “Avenue Q”
-Leo Bloom in “The Producers”
-Lawrence in “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels” (on the condition that Daniel plays opposite me as Freddy)
I also really want to play Bud Frump again professionally, as he’s probably my favorite character I’ve ever gotten to play. And let us not forget my future Tony-winning turn in a new musical written just for me. That one’s obviously a bit of a fantasy, but I do want to be involved in the creation of new works. And a boy can dream, can’t he?